We've been playing games this week. In particular, Clue.
Two of my girls and my dad just love to play it. So we have been playing a game or two (or even three) in a day!
Sooo funny. My littlest one isn't quite up to playing it yet. But she helps me during the game and she loves to be the one to sort the cards and set it up for the next game.
I love the board itself. My parents got this game in the 1970s. I'm sooo going to have to look at a newer version of the game to see what the rooms and people look like.
For the record, my dad has won two games. My husband was here for a few games; he won one of them. I won a game. And a few games fell into tragic disarray.
But it's been so much fun. We collapsed into giggling fits after my one daughter made a suggestion "I need Colonel Mustard in the Conservatory with the Knife." Could not help myself. I had to ask, "what, are you planning on sandwiches?"
Hmm. You probably had to be here for that one. We were pretty silly.
We are going to have to institute a family game night. It really is "all that." I highly encourage it for everyone. Make everyone get rid of the electronic gadgets and sit down to a good old fashioned thinking game. It's good stuff.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Oy. Borrowing time on another's computer
It's just not the same either. It's like I just can't think straight. All my keystrokes are logged on someone else's computer. It's weird. Like knowing big brother is watching over me.
It's been a great week. Got a little down time with the kids and got to read (although the stack of books is still piled up waiting for me to tackle even more).
But we got to watch some great old movies like The Out of Towners. And some classic TV like The Jeffersons. I highly recommend times like this.
Soon we'll head back to reality for a few more months. April and May are going to be very busy for us with birthdays, anniversaries, First Communions and graduation. Some very good times. Glad we got a chance to slow down and smell the roses for a bit.
It's been a great week. Got a little down time with the kids and got to read (although the stack of books is still piled up waiting for me to tackle even more).
But we got to watch some great old movies like The Out of Towners. And some classic TV like The Jeffersons. I highly recommend times like this.
Soon we'll head back to reality for a few more months. April and May are going to be very busy for us with birthdays, anniversaries, First Communions and graduation. Some very good times. Glad we got a chance to slow down and smell the roses for a bit.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
I have a magic mirror
Really.
You don't believe me.
I can tell.
You are shaking your head.
But it's the truth. I swear the mirror attached to my dresser in my bedroom is magic.
And it's not all good.
I put on an outfit and take a look in that mirror and decide, "Yup, this is good. Better than expected in fact"
But later in the day I come across some evil mirror with no magic and I regret my decision.
I've investigated this mirror. Thinking maybe it has a sort of tilt to it to make me look more slender. But it doesn't (unlike the mirror on my daughter's dresser that definitely leans just a bit--add one more thing to the to-do list for this week).
So until I put in a full length mirror on a closet door I just have to keep in mind "Objects in this mirror may look better than they actually are."
You don't believe me.
I can tell.
You are shaking your head.
But it's the truth. I swear the mirror attached to my dresser in my bedroom is magic.
And it's not all good.
I put on an outfit and take a look in that mirror and decide, "Yup, this is good. Better than expected in fact"
But later in the day I come across some evil mirror with no magic and I regret my decision.
I've investigated this mirror. Thinking maybe it has a sort of tilt to it to make me look more slender. But it doesn't (unlike the mirror on my daughter's dresser that definitely leans just a bit--add one more thing to the to-do list for this week).
So until I put in a full length mirror on a closet door I just have to keep in mind "Objects in this mirror may look better than they actually are."
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Along with lovin' Izzy Spellman, I totally heart Jack Reacher
Lee Child cannot possibly write enough for me.
A couple of summers ago I was at the library (hey, it's what we do during the summer--library or pool) and I saw 61 Hours on the "Bestseller Express" rack. The title was intriguing along with the chapter titles since the story was told looking back over the past 61 hours which have led up to the conclusion of the story. I picked it up and from that moment I was absolutely hooked on Jack Reacher. That man is hot. (Course I do have some concerns about what it says about me that I love this Reacher character so much). He is confident in his abilities. He is a former MP and currently a drifter. He lives according to his own code. He is observant. He is big. He is strong. He is smart. And he will right wrongs. His instincts are spot on. He is larger than life. (OK, that doesn't look so bad. Although I failed to mention that righting wrongs often involves killing people).
At this point there are 16 novels in the series. They can be read in any order. I started with book #14 and continued to read each new novel as it was printed. But I am also reading the series in the order written and I am up to book #11. I am worried about the day arriving when there are no more Jack Reacher stories to be had.
Another worry is how this movie will transfer to the big screen. It is my understanding that Tom Cruise has been tapped to play Jack Reacher. Apparently this is with Lee Child's blessing. I would like to be able to trust Mr. Child's vision here but Tom Cruise is far from 6' 5" and 250 lbs Jack Reacher I have pictured. Only time will tell.
A couple of summers ago I was at the library (hey, it's what we do during the summer--library or pool) and I saw 61 Hours on the "Bestseller Express" rack. The title was intriguing along with the chapter titles since the story was told looking back over the past 61 hours which have led up to the conclusion of the story. I picked it up and from that moment I was absolutely hooked on Jack Reacher. That man is hot. (Course I do have some concerns about what it says about me that I love this Reacher character so much). He is confident in his abilities. He is a former MP and currently a drifter. He lives according to his own code. He is observant. He is big. He is strong. He is smart. And he will right wrongs. His instincts are spot on. He is larger than life. (OK, that doesn't look so bad. Although I failed to mention that righting wrongs often involves killing people).
At this point there are 16 novels in the series. They can be read in any order. I started with book #14 and continued to read each new novel as it was printed. But I am also reading the series in the order written and I am up to book #11. I am worried about the day arriving when there are no more Jack Reacher stories to be had.
Another worry is how this movie will transfer to the big screen. It is my understanding that Tom Cruise has been tapped to play Jack Reacher. Apparently this is with Lee Child's blessing. I would like to be able to trust Mr. Child's vision here but Tom Cruise is far from 6' 5" and 250 lbs Jack Reacher I have pictured. Only time will tell.
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Field Trip was Awesome!
I have pics but can't load them at the moment. I know. That stinks.
But we had a very pleasant bus trip to the Castle on the Hill. Most of us. The teacher who had to sit midway back on the bus surrounded by the kids might not have had the same opinion.
It was raining just a bit when we got there but the skies cleared and we had perfect weather for the rest of the trip.
The kids got a tour of the beautiful monastery that feels like home to me. I was able to get a lot of gorgeous pictures of the monastery building, grounds and church. The church went through renovations over the last twenty years so it isn't exactly as I remember it but it is still a breathtaking space.
I found myself crying though. When we were in the space that was the original church for this community of nuns I was saddened by the condition of the space. It has been turned into a sitting room in pleasant light pink and rose with white couches. But the wallpaper is peeling. The carpet is tired. I wish I had the access to funds to redo that space for them. I have no idea what it would cost but it would certainly be a big job because the ceilings are very high and while the space doesn't appear huge, I'm sure that once you get in there to work it is bigger than expected (isn't that how it always goes?)
There was some down time after the tour. We took the kids out to the grounds. They had a chance to get pictures and run, literally run, the tower steps. I ran too. I hope that wasn't too embarrassing to my daughter. Then we went down to the cemetery. Not exactly where I bunch of 7th and 8th grade kids want to be. But I found the graves for the nuns we used to visit. I cried a little that my girls didn't get to grow up knowing them--or the monastery as it was when I was a child. We took some pictures.
The kids got the chance to participate in noon prayers with the nuns. There is nothing quiet like listening to a group of nuns sing and pray. It's such a sweet, pure sound.
I miss the monastery. I miss the times we had there when I was such a kid I just assumed it would always be there in the same state. They had an academy for girls when I was a child but it closed down about ten years ago due to a lack of funds. It is a quieter place now than it was then which makes it beautiful and yet sad.
But we had a very pleasant bus trip to the Castle on the Hill. Most of us. The teacher who had to sit midway back on the bus surrounded by the kids might not have had the same opinion.
It was raining just a bit when we got there but the skies cleared and we had perfect weather for the rest of the trip.
The kids got a tour of the beautiful monastery that feels like home to me. I was able to get a lot of gorgeous pictures of the monastery building, grounds and church. The church went through renovations over the last twenty years so it isn't exactly as I remember it but it is still a breathtaking space.
I found myself crying though. When we were in the space that was the original church for this community of nuns I was saddened by the condition of the space. It has been turned into a sitting room in pleasant light pink and rose with white couches. But the wallpaper is peeling. The carpet is tired. I wish I had the access to funds to redo that space for them. I have no idea what it would cost but it would certainly be a big job because the ceilings are very high and while the space doesn't appear huge, I'm sure that once you get in there to work it is bigger than expected (isn't that how it always goes?)
There was some down time after the tour. We took the kids out to the grounds. They had a chance to get pictures and run, literally run, the tower steps. I ran too. I hope that wasn't too embarrassing to my daughter. Then we went down to the cemetery. Not exactly where I bunch of 7th and 8th grade kids want to be. But I found the graves for the nuns we used to visit. I cried a little that my girls didn't get to grow up knowing them--or the monastery as it was when I was a child. We took some pictures.
The kids got the chance to participate in noon prayers with the nuns. There is nothing quiet like listening to a group of nuns sing and pray. It's such a sweet, pure sound.
I miss the monastery. I miss the times we had there when I was such a kid I just assumed it would always be there in the same state. They had an academy for girls when I was a child but it closed down about ten years ago due to a lack of funds. It is a quieter place now than it was then which makes it beautiful and yet sad.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Field Trip Friday!
I am excited.
My oldest is in 8th grade. I have been on precious few field trips throughout her school career because of my own job (insert very sad face!) So when she asked me to go on her eighth grade field trip to the monastery I told her "absolutely!"
It wasn't easy getting out of work for the field trip but I definitely wanted to make this one happen.
And today is the big day. We'll be heading a little over an hour away from here to visit my favorite monastery--the one I practically grew up in (or should I say "at" but it seems weird to say that too?)
I really have no idea what the field trip will involve. I can't imagine I'll see much that I haven't seen already. But it's a chance to go hang out with her during the school day. And I can't miss out on that. Not at all.
Love my girls like crazy and wish I could just be that mom who was always there for field trips and class parties. But since I can't always get out of work for that, I have to make the most of the times I do get with them.
I'll update tomorrow on our adventures!
My oldest is in 8th grade. I have been on precious few field trips throughout her school career because of my own job (insert very sad face!) So when she asked me to go on her eighth grade field trip to the monastery I told her "absolutely!"
It wasn't easy getting out of work for the field trip but I definitely wanted to make this one happen.
And today is the big day. We'll be heading a little over an hour away from here to visit my favorite monastery--the one I practically grew up in (or should I say "at" but it seems weird to say that too?)
I really have no idea what the field trip will involve. I can't imagine I'll see much that I haven't seen already. But it's a chance to go hang out with her during the school day. And I can't miss out on that. Not at all.
Love my girls like crazy and wish I could just be that mom who was always there for field trips and class parties. But since I can't always get out of work for that, I have to make the most of the times I do get with them.
I'll update tomorrow on our adventures!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Decisions decisions
Spring Break is around the corner. And I don't have plans.
One part of me wants to just stay home and get projects done around the house. My daughter has a chair she wants to sand and paint. She's also looking to build a storage ottoman of her own. All of the girls need to get their posters and other wall decor put back up. Everything came down during the "Great Paint" of Summer 2011. I could possibly get some storage shelves done.
Another part of me really wants to get out of town. Perhaps a trip to the lake for a couple of days, just for a change of scenery. I love trips to the lake simply because my parents do intense time with the kids--keeping them happy and occupied--while I get to have a little more down time for me. I can read 2-3 books if we are there for 3-4 days. That's always good.
But we have obligations to meet here at home on the 2nd and 3rd day of our break.
If we stay here we could catch some cheap matinee movies. And we could get some of the spring cleaning done--words every kid wants to hear, right?
This is a tough one. . . .
One part of me wants to just stay home and get projects done around the house. My daughter has a chair she wants to sand and paint. She's also looking to build a storage ottoman of her own. All of the girls need to get their posters and other wall decor put back up. Everything came down during the "Great Paint" of Summer 2011. I could possibly get some storage shelves done.
Another part of me really wants to get out of town. Perhaps a trip to the lake for a couple of days, just for a change of scenery. I love trips to the lake simply because my parents do intense time with the kids--keeping them happy and occupied--while I get to have a little more down time for me. I can read 2-3 books if we are there for 3-4 days. That's always good.
But we have obligations to meet here at home on the 2nd and 3rd day of our break.
If we stay here we could catch some cheap matinee movies. And we could get some of the spring cleaning done--words every kid wants to hear, right?
This is a tough one. . . .
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Ouch. Sometimes people say the oddest things
One would think that the Golden Rule was widely known. And that people would manage (especially as adults) to remember the impact of their words.
Not so much.
It has been one of those weeks. Monday I had one of those conversations with a co-worker that started out OK but turned into a big sore spot. I finally had to tell her "you know, I just have to tell you that that hurts." She didn't get it. She went on to say something else that led me to say "I'm happy for you but I'm going to have to say again, that kind of hurts. Maybe we should just stop there."
I am certain that she didn't mean to hurt my feelings. But she also hadn't really thought about what she was saying to me. If she had, surely she would have realized her words.
And then I had a rough lunch with co-workers where some comments were made (a bit pointedly and I'm not sure it was an innocent mis-choice of words) by someone who is definitely old enough to understand the impact of the words.
But it serves as a great reminder to me to be careful what I say too. Sometimes criticism is necessary so we measure our words to soften the blow. It seems that it's the more casual conversation that leads to hurt feelings because of misunderstandings or simple carelessness in word choices.
I was left feeling pretty lousy because of my co-workers comments. Lousy way to start a week. But the sun will shine every day this week and we have beautiful spring days. So I force myself to adopt the "onward and upwards" mindset for the week.
Not so much.
It has been one of those weeks. Monday I had one of those conversations with a co-worker that started out OK but turned into a big sore spot. I finally had to tell her "you know, I just have to tell you that that hurts." She didn't get it. She went on to say something else that led me to say "I'm happy for you but I'm going to have to say again, that kind of hurts. Maybe we should just stop there."
I am certain that she didn't mean to hurt my feelings. But she also hadn't really thought about what she was saying to me. If she had, surely she would have realized her words.
And then I had a rough lunch with co-workers where some comments were made (a bit pointedly and I'm not sure it was an innocent mis-choice of words) by someone who is definitely old enough to understand the impact of the words.
But it serves as a great reminder to me to be careful what I say too. Sometimes criticism is necessary so we measure our words to soften the blow. It seems that it's the more casual conversation that leads to hurt feelings because of misunderstandings or simple carelessness in word choices.
I was left feeling pretty lousy because of my co-workers comments. Lousy way to start a week. But the sun will shine every day this week and we have beautiful spring days. So I force myself to adopt the "onward and upwards" mindset for the week.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
I Heart Izzy Spellman (The Spellman Files)
A few years ago I was searching for some new reading material. One of the girls I know at the library suggested I might like some books by Lisa Lutz. The first book in the series is The Spellman Files; it begins the story about a family of private investigators in San Francisco. I had made my way through Janet Evanovich's series so I was ready to try something new (and yes, still reading Evanovich as they are published and for the record, Morelli is my choice).
I thoroughly enjoyed The Spellman Files but admit that it was tough at times because I had to meet all the characters and the book was written from multiple perspectives. (Sometimes I fear my brain has become a bit dull with age because I almost need a 3x 5 card as a cheat sheet for the cast of characters). Each characte's view was told in his/her own font. Once I got used to the structure, it was a fun romp through the family's struggles.
Even better was the second book in the series--Curse of the Spellmans. I cannot remember a time when I found the second book in a series to be so much fun to read. Maybe it was because I already knew the characters?
I refuse to spoil the fun for you by giving up the plot line or any of the twists and turns. (Heck you can follow the link to Lisa Lutz's website and read the teasers for yourself). But I can tell you that I love Izzy. She is a bit of a mess--28 and living at home which is also the address for the family business. But she is a good investigator. She cares about the clients she takes on. She wants to do a good job and live her own life--without being under the constant microscope of her family (tough to do when the family business involves tailing other people and getting the dirt on their lives!)
One of my favorite lines comes from Revenge of the Spellmans (Document #3) when Izzy looked at her mother and said: ""It's my life. You're just a member of the audience," Who hasn't wanted to use that line? And how perfect is it?
I'm in the middle of the fifth book in the series right now. Things are completely topsy turvy in the Spellman household and business. Izzy is working on getting another ex-boyfriend (how she refers to all of her boyfriends because she is certain that all of her relationships will end anyway).
If you enjoy Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books you will LOVE Izzy Spellman! (And guys, I know for a fact that some of you, even though you are big tough guys do in fact read the Plum novels so don't even try to hide it!) Izzy is a smart girl who can take care of herself. She doesn't need anyone to bail her out of trouble and she will get to the bottom of the problem through hard work and smarts. Read The Spellman Files knowing that the first book is the tough one to get through and after that it's nothing but fun!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Spellman Files but admit that it was tough at times because I had to meet all the characters and the book was written from multiple perspectives. (Sometimes I fear my brain has become a bit dull with age because I almost need a 3x 5 card as a cheat sheet for the cast of characters). Each characte's view was told in his/her own font. Once I got used to the structure, it was a fun romp through the family's struggles.
Even better was the second book in the series--Curse of the Spellmans. I cannot remember a time when I found the second book in a series to be so much fun to read. Maybe it was because I already knew the characters?
I refuse to spoil the fun for you by giving up the plot line or any of the twists and turns. (Heck you can follow the link to Lisa Lutz's website and read the teasers for yourself). But I can tell you that I love Izzy. She is a bit of a mess--28 and living at home which is also the address for the family business. But she is a good investigator. She cares about the clients she takes on. She wants to do a good job and live her own life--without being under the constant microscope of her family (tough to do when the family business involves tailing other people and getting the dirt on their lives!)
One of my favorite lines comes from Revenge of the Spellmans (Document #3) when Izzy looked at her mother and said: ""It's my life. You're just a member of the audience," Who hasn't wanted to use that line? And how perfect is it?
I'm in the middle of the fifth book in the series right now. Things are completely topsy turvy in the Spellman household and business. Izzy is working on getting another ex-boyfriend (how she refers to all of her boyfriends because she is certain that all of her relationships will end anyway).
If you enjoy Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books you will LOVE Izzy Spellman! (And guys, I know for a fact that some of you, even though you are big tough guys do in fact read the Plum novels so don't even try to hide it!) Izzy is a smart girl who can take care of herself. She doesn't need anyone to bail her out of trouble and she will get to the bottom of the problem through hard work and smarts. Read The Spellman Files knowing that the first book is the tough one to get through and after that it's nothing but fun!
Monday, March 19, 2012
I'm a slacker with these recipes. . .
Since my fridge went on the fritz (fixed), my microwave died (RIP) and my oven has a mind of it's own (seriously, it heats to 500 degrees Fahrenheit even when I'm trying to keep it at 325) I have not been doing my usual cooking.
But I have a great recipe that 4 out of 5 in my household love and it doesn't require much effort or the use of the microwave or the oven! Today's hit from our kitchen is the Italian Bean Patty!
3 cans of cannellini beans rinsed and drained
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2-1 tsp of garlic powder (depends on how much you like garlic)
1/2-1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
Begin my smashing the rinsed/drained beans. I suppose you could use a food processor but I hate cleaning mine and a potato masher accomplishes the same task but is easier to clean.
Once the beans are sufficiently mashed, mix in the eggs. Then add the seasonings and bread crumbs. Form into patties (like a hamburger patty). I am able to get 12 patties out of 3 cans of beans.
Fry in an electric skillet with olive oil. These are delicate when you try to turn them over so be careful.
You can serve them with spaghetti sauce. I love to fry up some zucchini and onions to go with this. I also steam some baby carrots for my non-zuchhini fans in the household.
I'm amazed my kids love these. I had to stop my middle child from eating them all up because I was counting on having leftovers!
They are cheap food too. Even if you dredge them through cornmeal before you fry them (which I don't) you are still looking at a meal that is under 25 cents per patty (considered a serving--please tell my daughter who was on her way to eating her 3rd patty when I stopped her!) It's good clean eating. Filling but not the kind of meal that leaves you stuffed.
But I have a great recipe that 4 out of 5 in my household love and it doesn't require much effort or the use of the microwave or the oven! Today's hit from our kitchen is the Italian Bean Patty!
3 cans of cannellini beans rinsed and drained
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2-1 tsp of garlic powder (depends on how much you like garlic)
1/2-1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
Begin my smashing the rinsed/drained beans. I suppose you could use a food processor but I hate cleaning mine and a potato masher accomplishes the same task but is easier to clean.
Once the beans are sufficiently mashed, mix in the eggs. Then add the seasonings and bread crumbs. Form into patties (like a hamburger patty). I am able to get 12 patties out of 3 cans of beans.
Fry in an electric skillet with olive oil. These are delicate when you try to turn them over so be careful.
You can serve them with spaghetti sauce. I love to fry up some zucchini and onions to go with this. I also steam some baby carrots for my non-zuchhini fans in the household.
I'm amazed my kids love these. I had to stop my middle child from eating them all up because I was counting on having leftovers!
They are cheap food too. Even if you dredge them through cornmeal before you fry them (which I don't) you are still looking at a meal that is under 25 cents per patty (considered a serving--please tell my daughter who was on her way to eating her 3rd patty when I stopped her!) It's good clean eating. Filling but not the kind of meal that leaves you stuffed.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The luck of the Irish
Ok. I'm going to come across sarcastic. Please do not take offense.
I'm not Irish. Not 1 teeny tiny bit.
To the best of my knowledge my children have no Irish blood in them.
So today we will wear whatever we like. . .green is not a requirement for our (German heritage) life.
I'm so relieved that St. Patrick's Day is NOT on a school day this year. I won't have to explain my lack of green over and over and over. And I won't have to go buy green shirts for my kids to wear to school to avoid pinching from their classmates.
We'll just go about our business like always. The Irish may have their holiday and those who choose to celebrate, have at it. Just don't judge me for not feeling like I need to crash the party.
I'm not Irish. Not 1 teeny tiny bit.
To the best of my knowledge my children have no Irish blood in them.
So today we will wear whatever we like. . .green is not a requirement for our (German heritage) life.
I'm so relieved that St. Patrick's Day is NOT on a school day this year. I won't have to explain my lack of green over and over and over. And I won't have to go buy green shirts for my kids to wear to school to avoid pinching from their classmates.
We'll just go about our business like always. The Irish may have their holiday and those who choose to celebrate, have at it. Just don't judge me for not feeling like I need to crash the party.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Friday nights
Once upon a time, Friday nights were something special. I guess they still are but in a different way. You know, the I just want to get my jammies on and collapse kind of way. Because that is some good stuff there. My family looks forward to that.
But some years ago Fridays were special for another reason. It was date night.
But before that, Fridays were the best night of the week because my family would go visiting on Friday night.
Sometimes we were at Aunt Mary's house (you know, my Great Aunt that I wrote about yesterday)
Sometimes we packed up and went to my grandparents house. My sister and I might pack along our Barbies to play with while our parents and grandparents played clabber. My grandparents almost always had ice cream or cookies as snacks for us. Nana used to make cookies out of graham crackers and leftover cake icing. We always loved those treats.
Sometimes we were at my mom's best friend's house (where we kids would pretend to already be asleep so that we wouldn't have to leave--it never worked--we always had to just get up and get our shoes to go home with our parents).
But I remember oh so many great nights at Aunt Joyce's house. She was a part-time nurse, full-time mother married to Uncle Jerry (worked in an office and hated the telephone). They had 6 kids--3 boys and 3 girls. I couldn't keep the boys straight so I just called the two blond boys "that boy" and pointed to the one I meant. They were all older than me anyway so it wasn't like we were hanging out and I couldn't remember who they were.
Aunt Joyce made the best popcorn known to this little girl. She made it in a skillet on top of the stove. She would pop it up for us and set it on the dining room table. Sometimes we would get a little bit of soda with our popcorn. We only got to eat at the table. . .never in another room of the house.
I loved her dining room. It wasn't fancy but it was functional. She had hardwood floors and a built in china cabinet to the left rear corner. Their dog Queenie (part collie, part German Shepard and scared to death of storms) slept in the little nooked out area below the cabinet. The table was large enough to seat eight. And she had this very cool light. I wanted one for our house but it never happened. It hung from the ceiling but it was adjustable. So if you wanted more light you could pull it closer to the table and if you wanted the light to spread across the room you would pull down then push up (similar to the motion for a roller shade on a window).
Our parents would visit in the dining room or maybe the living room. We kids were often on our own unless one of the girls was home. One of them was just four years older than me but you know how kids can be. Four years is a lifetime and sometimes she just didn't want to play with us babies. So we were always able to go downstairs to the rec room where there was a bumper pool table and a cabinet with some Barbies, some coloring books and some old comic books. There was a TV down there too. We didn't watch it much. We'd play pool sometimes. I remember taking comic books back upstairs to read while sitting in the same room as the parents.
They were good simple times. I guess it was just a different era. We kids were included in the evening but not catered to either. We could keep ourselves occupied with an assortment of toys. And some of the snacks ever--popcorn or simple little graham cracker cookies made us smile..
But some years ago Fridays were special for another reason. It was date night.
But before that, Fridays were the best night of the week because my family would go visiting on Friday night.
Sometimes we were at Aunt Mary's house (you know, my Great Aunt that I wrote about yesterday)
Sometimes we packed up and went to my grandparents house. My sister and I might pack along our Barbies to play with while our parents and grandparents played clabber. My grandparents almost always had ice cream or cookies as snacks for us. Nana used to make cookies out of graham crackers and leftover cake icing. We always loved those treats.
Sometimes we were at my mom's best friend's house (where we kids would pretend to already be asleep so that we wouldn't have to leave--it never worked--we always had to just get up and get our shoes to go home with our parents).
But I remember oh so many great nights at Aunt Joyce's house. She was a part-time nurse, full-time mother married to Uncle Jerry (worked in an office and hated the telephone). They had 6 kids--3 boys and 3 girls. I couldn't keep the boys straight so I just called the two blond boys "that boy" and pointed to the one I meant. They were all older than me anyway so it wasn't like we were hanging out and I couldn't remember who they were.
Aunt Joyce made the best popcorn known to this little girl. She made it in a skillet on top of the stove. She would pop it up for us and set it on the dining room table. Sometimes we would get a little bit of soda with our popcorn. We only got to eat at the table. . .never in another room of the house.
I loved her dining room. It wasn't fancy but it was functional. She had hardwood floors and a built in china cabinet to the left rear corner. Their dog Queenie (part collie, part German Shepard and scared to death of storms) slept in the little nooked out area below the cabinet. The table was large enough to seat eight. And she had this very cool light. I wanted one for our house but it never happened. It hung from the ceiling but it was adjustable. So if you wanted more light you could pull it closer to the table and if you wanted the light to spread across the room you would pull down then push up (similar to the motion for a roller shade on a window).
Our parents would visit in the dining room or maybe the living room. We kids were often on our own unless one of the girls was home. One of them was just four years older than me but you know how kids can be. Four years is a lifetime and sometimes she just didn't want to play with us babies. So we were always able to go downstairs to the rec room where there was a bumper pool table and a cabinet with some Barbies, some coloring books and some old comic books. There was a TV down there too. We didn't watch it much. We'd play pool sometimes. I remember taking comic books back upstairs to read while sitting in the same room as the parents.
They were good simple times. I guess it was just a different era. We kids were included in the evening but not catered to either. We could keep ourselves occupied with an assortment of toys. And some of the snacks ever--popcorn or simple little graham cracker cookies made us smile..
Thursday, March 15, 2012
While I'm going all vintage-y. . . .
I have to tell you about my Great Aunt Mary. She died 16 years ago at the age of 99. She was a hoot.
She lived on a busy street in the middle of town. It was a large old house, built in 1919. It's entirely possible that the house was new when she and her husband moved into it, which probably explains why stepping into her house was like stepping back in time. She had hardwood floors throughout the house (except for the kitchen and bathroom) but the hardwood was covered with grey wool carpet with a 1940s pattern. It wasn't quite wall to wall carpet; it was the kind you could roll up and take outside to put over the clothesline to whack clean.
When you walked into her house immediately to your right were the curio cabinets. . .dark wood, curved glass protecting a host of delicate figurines. I never tired of looking at her figurines but I'd be hard pressed to describe any of them to you now.
To the left you found the living room. The furniture was the kind that never wears out. Prickly to sit on but with firm, durable cushions. She had a gorgeous green tile fireplace. She told the story that once a man came to her door and tried to buy the fireplace. She told him it wasn't for sale. He persisted--told her he'd pay her good money for it. She insisted it wasn't for sale--it was part of the house and the only way he could get the fireplace was to buy the whole house, but of course, it wasn't for sale either. She was sharp as a tack and full of spunk. She had to be in her late 80s when that happened.
It's odd but I really don't remember much about the rest of the house. The dining room was immediately behind the living room but it was almost always dark. I remember going into her kitchen one time and I was surprised that it was so small. It was just big enough to cook in but certainly not a kitchen the family would hang out it.
I have just a vague memory of the hallway off the dining room that led to the two bedrooms and bathroom. Certainly I would have been in the bathroom many times but I have no distinct memories of that space. And the bedrooms were only glimpsed a few times on the way to the bathroom I guess.
Seeing Aunt Mary was like a little step back in time too. She still wore house dresses like she would have worn in the 40s or 50s. And she wore her hair in waves. But as "old" as she looked, she never acted it. You see, the four lane road that she lived on was quite busy. It had been a 2 lane road with parking on both sides when I was very young but as traffic increased, they made it 4 lanes for driving and parking was forbidden at all times. But the traffic didn't bother her in the least. She lived in a neighborhood where people took care of each other. There was one day that she told us about how when it snowed it was her job to cross the street and shovel the sidewalk and steps for her neighbors. They were the "old people" in the neighborhood and she felt a responsiblity to take care of them. After all they were in their nineties. At the time Aunt Mary was in her mid-eighties. How awesome is that?
Hard to believe she's been gone 16 years. I would love to see her house now but then again, maybe I'm just as happy to keep the memories I have rather than see what someone else has done to her home.
She lived on a busy street in the middle of town. It was a large old house, built in 1919. It's entirely possible that the house was new when she and her husband moved into it, which probably explains why stepping into her house was like stepping back in time. She had hardwood floors throughout the house (except for the kitchen and bathroom) but the hardwood was covered with grey wool carpet with a 1940s pattern. It wasn't quite wall to wall carpet; it was the kind you could roll up and take outside to put over the clothesline to whack clean.
When you walked into her house immediately to your right were the curio cabinets. . .dark wood, curved glass protecting a host of delicate figurines. I never tired of looking at her figurines but I'd be hard pressed to describe any of them to you now.
To the left you found the living room. The furniture was the kind that never wears out. Prickly to sit on but with firm, durable cushions. She had a gorgeous green tile fireplace. She told the story that once a man came to her door and tried to buy the fireplace. She told him it wasn't for sale. He persisted--told her he'd pay her good money for it. She insisted it wasn't for sale--it was part of the house and the only way he could get the fireplace was to buy the whole house, but of course, it wasn't for sale either. She was sharp as a tack and full of spunk. She had to be in her late 80s when that happened.
It's odd but I really don't remember much about the rest of the house. The dining room was immediately behind the living room but it was almost always dark. I remember going into her kitchen one time and I was surprised that it was so small. It was just big enough to cook in but certainly not a kitchen the family would hang out it.
I have just a vague memory of the hallway off the dining room that led to the two bedrooms and bathroom. Certainly I would have been in the bathroom many times but I have no distinct memories of that space. And the bedrooms were only glimpsed a few times on the way to the bathroom I guess.
Seeing Aunt Mary was like a little step back in time too. She still wore house dresses like she would have worn in the 40s or 50s. And she wore her hair in waves. But as "old" as she looked, she never acted it. You see, the four lane road that she lived on was quite busy. It had been a 2 lane road with parking on both sides when I was very young but as traffic increased, they made it 4 lanes for driving and parking was forbidden at all times. But the traffic didn't bother her in the least. She lived in a neighborhood where people took care of each other. There was one day that she told us about how when it snowed it was her job to cross the street and shovel the sidewalk and steps for her neighbors. They were the "old people" in the neighborhood and she felt a responsiblity to take care of them. After all they were in their nineties. At the time Aunt Mary was in her mid-eighties. How awesome is that?
Hard to believe she's been gone 16 years. I would love to see her house now but then again, maybe I'm just as happy to keep the memories I have rather than see what someone else has done to her home.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Vintage Bathrooms, aka the pink palace
I'm an odd duck. And I know it.
I love old bathrooms. (And old kitchens, vintage furniture, old quilts/beds).
I think I'd peg anything from the early 1900s through the 1950s as livable.
I am not a fan of more modern archtecture. I can live with a 1950s house if it has the classic pink (or blue) tiled bathroom. Much of the 1960s to the present just make me shudder. This probably explains the lost hours spent over at retro renovation (you know, like the side trip I just took to look at pink bathrooms, like this one )
But more modern colors like avocado or that other, darker blue are no-nos.
So are brown bathrooms, even though I ended up with two of those in my new home. More on that later.
There's something about the distinctive tile of years gone by.
A little part of me dies whenever I watch HGTV or any other DIY show where a vintage bathroom is being killed in favor of some boring brown monstrosity.
When I was a very little girl my grandparents lived in a house that had been built in the 1920s. Sweet bungalow with a walk-up attic. Their bathroom was tiled in yellow. Sunshine and happiness.
A very good friend of the family lived in a house built in the late 1950s. I adored their bathroom. It was pink tile and chrome. I remember my last visit to their home, after her funeral. I tried to take pictures in my mind of the whole house; a time warp with the vintage bathroom and the ultra-cool fireplace along with all her nick-nacks.
The house I grew up in was built in the early 1940s. We had classic baby blue tile. One day it will have to be re-done. Since it no longer serves as the main bathroom for showers, they are holding off on it though. Thank goodness. Not sure how I'll handle losing that little piece of my childhood. I was disappointed enough when they replaced the vanity!
When we bought our first house (built in 1954) the bathroom had pink and burgundy tile. Unfortunately it was plastic tile and it had seen better days. When we re-did that bathroom I insisted I wanted it to be re-done in keeping with the style of era it was built in. So we (I use that term loosely because it really means "my hubby") got white tiles--4 inch squares. It took forever to get it tiled. (Funny side note, when we built our house I told the builder that I really like the 4 inch tiles. He told me he liked me and all but not that much--pick a bigger tile. It made me laugh. And then I choose some bigger tiles).
I don't know why the fascination for vintage colored tile bathrooms. Maybe because they remind me of being a kid? Maybe because I'm a sucker for character homes with their arched doorways and unique storage solutions? Maybe because these bathrooms aren't cookie-cutter?
I'm planning my basement, remember? We still have several boxes of 4 inch white tiles. I wonder if I am up for the task of tiling a couple of walls with them? I need to get a better picture in my head here. I already have visions of a penny tile floor (yes, real pennies) and I have a 1940s china hutch that I might use for towels and soap in that bathroom. But this might work. White tile walls, white fixtures, penny flooring and either green or "copper haze" on the walls. Hmmm. Much to think about.
I love old bathrooms. (And old kitchens, vintage furniture, old quilts/beds).
I think I'd peg anything from the early 1900s through the 1950s as livable.
I am not a fan of more modern archtecture. I can live with a 1950s house if it has the classic pink (or blue) tiled bathroom. Much of the 1960s to the present just make me shudder. This probably explains the lost hours spent over at retro renovation (you know, like the side trip I just took to look at pink bathrooms, like this one )
But more modern colors like avocado or that other, darker blue are no-nos.
So are brown bathrooms, even though I ended up with two of those in my new home. More on that later.
There's something about the distinctive tile of years gone by.
A little part of me dies whenever I watch HGTV or any other DIY show where a vintage bathroom is being killed in favor of some boring brown monstrosity.
When I was a very little girl my grandparents lived in a house that had been built in the 1920s. Sweet bungalow with a walk-up attic. Their bathroom was tiled in yellow. Sunshine and happiness.
A very good friend of the family lived in a house built in the late 1950s. I adored their bathroom. It was pink tile and chrome. I remember my last visit to their home, after her funeral. I tried to take pictures in my mind of the whole house; a time warp with the vintage bathroom and the ultra-cool fireplace along with all her nick-nacks.
The house I grew up in was built in the early 1940s. We had classic baby blue tile. One day it will have to be re-done. Since it no longer serves as the main bathroom for showers, they are holding off on it though. Thank goodness. Not sure how I'll handle losing that little piece of my childhood. I was disappointed enough when they replaced the vanity!
When we bought our first house (built in 1954) the bathroom had pink and burgundy tile. Unfortunately it was plastic tile and it had seen better days. When we re-did that bathroom I insisted I wanted it to be re-done in keeping with the style of era it was built in. So we (I use that term loosely because it really means "my hubby") got white tiles--4 inch squares. It took forever to get it tiled. (Funny side note, when we built our house I told the builder that I really like the 4 inch tiles. He told me he liked me and all but not that much--pick a bigger tile. It made me laugh. And then I choose some bigger tiles).
I don't know why the fascination for vintage colored tile bathrooms. Maybe because they remind me of being a kid? Maybe because I'm a sucker for character homes with their arched doorways and unique storage solutions? Maybe because these bathrooms aren't cookie-cutter?
I'm planning my basement, remember? We still have several boxes of 4 inch white tiles. I wonder if I am up for the task of tiling a couple of walls with them? I need to get a better picture in my head here. I already have visions of a penny tile floor (yes, real pennies) and I have a 1940s china hutch that I might use for towels and soap in that bathroom. But this might work. White tile walls, white fixtures, penny flooring and either green or "copper haze" on the walls. Hmmm. Much to think about.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Asthma stinks. Allergies do too.
I thought we were done dealing with both of these buggers. One of my lil babes used to have trouble with both allergies and asthma as we went from winter to spring and from fall to winter. Hmmm, winter is the connecting factor here isn't it?
Well good riddance to winter!
Just before Christmas I got hit with a lousy cold that turned into bronchitis that wouldn't go away and was eventually diagnosed as asthma. I am very unhappy with this because it is almost spring break time and I have not been able to get in shape. I had great plans to get back on track starting with Christmas break. But I was too sick. And coming back from such a nasty round of asthma has been killer. Working out is a terrible chore now. But there's no choice. It must be done.
But the worst of it all is that allergies seem to have grown on my youngest babe when I wasn't looking. She was under the weather some last week. She just couldn't kick it. No fever. She had a sore throat and just preferred to lounge on the couch over almost anything else. But she is now coughing the same ugly cough that her older sister used to have seasonally. Very similar to the cough I had before the asthma diagnosis.
Mommy fail.
I know. It's not like I could have known 3 weeks ago to get her started on allergy medicine. But still. My girly is miserable. And it's going to take time to get her back on track. Sigh.
The bright spot is that the sun shines and it feels good outside. Asthma and allergies are just another bump in the road, right?
Well good riddance to winter!
Just before Christmas I got hit with a lousy cold that turned into bronchitis that wouldn't go away and was eventually diagnosed as asthma. I am very unhappy with this because it is almost spring break time and I have not been able to get in shape. I had great plans to get back on track starting with Christmas break. But I was too sick. And coming back from such a nasty round of asthma has been killer. Working out is a terrible chore now. But there's no choice. It must be done.
But the worst of it all is that allergies seem to have grown on my youngest babe when I wasn't looking. She was under the weather some last week. She just couldn't kick it. No fever. She had a sore throat and just preferred to lounge on the couch over almost anything else. But she is now coughing the same ugly cough that her older sister used to have seasonally. Very similar to the cough I had before the asthma diagnosis.
Mommy fail.
I know. It's not like I could have known 3 weeks ago to get her started on allergy medicine. But still. My girly is miserable. And it's going to take time to get her back on track. Sigh.
The bright spot is that the sun shines and it feels good outside. Asthma and allergies are just another bump in the road, right?
Monday, March 12, 2012
Rainy Days and Mondays. . . .
Yup, rainy Monday morning after a time change. Rough getting out of bed this morning.
I'm not opposed to Mondays overall but I have to say that once in a while I think they should just be cancelled due to a lack of interest.
And today has been one of those.
How tempting to just stay in bed and not participate in the world. But duty called so I got to work, literally.
However, the blogging had to be on hold. I missed my usual 6 am deadline.
Today has been completely up and down. I got into work and things started off pretty good. Made a slight miscalculation of a situation and felt I owed an apology. But I had to sit and wait for the chance to do that to roll around. And while I waited to get in to see the one I owed the apology to, well, more unfortunate-ness occurred.
Oy.
At this point, returning home sounds really good. But I'll wait through the rest of my work day like a good kid. I'll be productive. I'll try to save the world. Just four more hours of work.
Piece of cake. This rainy day and Monday isn't going to bring me down. No sir.
Save the world. Be Mom extraordinaire. Make delicious hamburgers and fabulous seasoned fries for supper. Do the rest of the evening routine. And then sleep.
The sun'll come out, tomorrow. . .
I'm not opposed to Mondays overall but I have to say that once in a while I think they should just be cancelled due to a lack of interest.
And today has been one of those.
How tempting to just stay in bed and not participate in the world. But duty called so I got to work, literally.
However, the blogging had to be on hold. I missed my usual 6 am deadline.
Today has been completely up and down. I got into work and things started off pretty good. Made a slight miscalculation of a situation and felt I owed an apology. But I had to sit and wait for the chance to do that to roll around. And while I waited to get in to see the one I owed the apology to, well, more unfortunate-ness occurred.
Oy.
At this point, returning home sounds really good. But I'll wait through the rest of my work day like a good kid. I'll be productive. I'll try to save the world. Just four more hours of work.
Piece of cake. This rainy day and Monday isn't going to bring me down. No sir.
Save the world. Be Mom extraordinaire. Make delicious hamburgers and fabulous seasoned fries for supper. Do the rest of the evening routine. And then sleep.
The sun'll come out, tomorrow. . .
Saturday, March 10, 2012
It's that time of year again! Time to spring forward!
While one part of me is happy because setting the clock ahead means that we are moving out of winter and into spring. But another part, the sleepy part, is terribly disappointed to have to give up an hour of sleep this weekend!
This is proof that even though I am in my forties now, I'm still not a grown up. Because once again, the time change snuck up on me! How does that happen??? My parents always knew when it was coming and weren't caught so unaware.
I have friends who do subtle adjustments to their kids' bedtime the week before the time change. Not me. I just plan to let them stay up an extra hour (if they can) and then go to bed and set my clocks ahead. They can enjoy the extra hour for the day that way, right?
Maybe one day I'll remember when the time change is coming so I can be better prepared and not lament the loss of an hour of sleep. Personally I'm a more of a fan of "falling back" so I can get my extra sleep :-)
This is proof that even though I am in my forties now, I'm still not a grown up. Because once again, the time change snuck up on me! How does that happen??? My parents always knew when it was coming and weren't caught so unaware.
I have friends who do subtle adjustments to their kids' bedtime the week before the time change. Not me. I just plan to let them stay up an extra hour (if they can) and then go to bed and set my clocks ahead. They can enjoy the extra hour for the day that way, right?
Maybe one day I'll remember when the time change is coming so I can be better prepared and not lament the loss of an hour of sleep. Personally I'm a more of a fan of "falling back" so I can get my extra sleep :-)
Friday, March 9, 2012
Trader Joe's Organic Chocolate
I can't say it enough.
Trader Joe's Organic Chocolate has turned me into a chocolate snob.
I cannot accept Hershey's chocolate anymore (unless we're talking m&m's because I still adore those).
Nope, several years ago my sister introduced me to TJ's Organic Chocolate Truffles. First experience wasn't true love. There's a bitter cocoa on the outside but once you get past that it's sweet dark chocolate.
They come in cute boxes at Christmas time because they are "seasonal." Note the quotes there. No woman would ever call chocolate anything a "seasonal" item. Chocolate transcends all seasons. It goes with all seasons.
One year a friend sent me a box of chocolate truffles. No kidding. It was a large box filled with boxes of TJ's organic chocolate truffles. I stashed them in my freezer and rationed them out carefully. I had them hidden in the bottom of the deep freezer and kept 1 box in a different container in my upstairs refrigerator's freezer compartment. I'd send the kids and hubby outside to play after supper. Then I'd pull one precious truffle out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter while I was cleaning up the kitchen. By the time they came in the kitchen would be clean and the truffle was long gone.
Since the truffles are seasonal, I accept the TJ's Organic Dark Chocolate Truffle Bars year round. They cost about $2 each but each bar is divided into 12 squares. Each square is about 45 calories. They are the perfect finish to a meal. Just a the right sweetness and chocolate to polish off any meal.
And I swear that when I have a little bit of dark chocolate to round out a meal, I always end up losing weight easier. I figure it's about not feeling deprived. That bit of chocolate is enough to keep my sweet tooth satisfied so I won't go off the deep end of the "diet."
Sadly, the nearest Trader Joe's is nearly 4 hours away from me, hence the friend mailing me a box of chocolates. Sometime in the next few weeks my husband is going to be headed that way. I'm going to have to send a little extra cash along so he can get me stocked up on my chocolate ;-)
Trader Joe's Organic Chocolate has turned me into a chocolate snob.
I cannot accept Hershey's chocolate anymore (unless we're talking m&m's because I still adore those).
Nope, several years ago my sister introduced me to TJ's Organic Chocolate Truffles. First experience wasn't true love. There's a bitter cocoa on the outside but once you get past that it's sweet dark chocolate.
They come in cute boxes at Christmas time because they are "seasonal." Note the quotes there. No woman would ever call chocolate anything a "seasonal" item. Chocolate transcends all seasons. It goes with all seasons.
One year a friend sent me a box of chocolate truffles. No kidding. It was a large box filled with boxes of TJ's organic chocolate truffles. I stashed them in my freezer and rationed them out carefully. I had them hidden in the bottom of the deep freezer and kept 1 box in a different container in my upstairs refrigerator's freezer compartment. I'd send the kids and hubby outside to play after supper. Then I'd pull one precious truffle out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter while I was cleaning up the kitchen. By the time they came in the kitchen would be clean and the truffle was long gone.
Since the truffles are seasonal, I accept the TJ's Organic Dark Chocolate Truffle Bars year round. They cost about $2 each but each bar is divided into 12 squares. Each square is about 45 calories. They are the perfect finish to a meal. Just a the right sweetness and chocolate to polish off any meal.
And I swear that when I have a little bit of dark chocolate to round out a meal, I always end up losing weight easier. I figure it's about not feeling deprived. That bit of chocolate is enough to keep my sweet tooth satisfied so I won't go off the deep end of the "diet."
Sadly, the nearest Trader Joe's is nearly 4 hours away from me, hence the friend mailing me a box of chocolates. Sometime in the next few weeks my husband is going to be headed that way. I'm going to have to send a little extra cash along so he can get me stocked up on my chocolate ;-)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Have I mentioned. . . .
that my parents rock?
Because they do. Big time.
I'm not going to try to paint a false picture here. Parents are frustrating and annoying when they are telling you what to do (especially when you are a teenager and they are just "old" and "don't get it"). But the older I get, the more I appreciate my parents for who they are and all they do for me.
The latest? They quite politely asked for a walk-through of my plans for my basement. They came for supper last night and my mom asked me to go downstairs for a bit to show her what I want to do in the basement. We grabbed a measuring tape and headed for the basement.
My dad is a very logical thinker and he amended my plans a bit making the combination guest bedroom/sewing room/tornado room a bit bigger. Smart man. Now I'll have room for a queen size bed, a full size couch and a loveseat in that room along with a huge closet, deep shelving and sewing nook.
Perfect.
Now if only I could get things lined up to just get this done by the end of March I'd be super happy. The plans for the shelving have been re-drawn and costs re-calculated. Now I'm working on the costs for installing pocket doors and building the 2 walls/closet/shelves for the multi-purpose room.
Exciting!
Because they do. Big time.
I'm not going to try to paint a false picture here. Parents are frustrating and annoying when they are telling you what to do (especially when you are a teenager and they are just "old" and "don't get it"). But the older I get, the more I appreciate my parents for who they are and all they do for me.
The latest? They quite politely asked for a walk-through of my plans for my basement. They came for supper last night and my mom asked me to go downstairs for a bit to show her what I want to do in the basement. We grabbed a measuring tape and headed for the basement.
My dad is a very logical thinker and he amended my plans a bit making the combination guest bedroom/sewing room/tornado room a bit bigger. Smart man. Now I'll have room for a queen size bed, a full size couch and a loveseat in that room along with a huge closet, deep shelving and sewing nook.
Perfect.
Now if only I could get things lined up to just get this done by the end of March I'd be super happy. The plans for the shelving have been re-drawn and costs re-calculated. Now I'm working on the costs for installing pocket doors and building the 2 walls/closet/shelves for the multi-purpose room.
Exciting!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Homemade bread. . . .so satisfying. Or, ahem, humbling.
I've been making bread on the weekends for a few months now. This past weekend I got really ambitious. I decided to make twice as much as I had been making.
My mom came by while it was rising so I told her she could take a couple of pans home and bake some fresh bread for them. I knew by then that 4 loaves were going to be duds and directed her to the other 4 loaves. She took 2 really pretty loaves home.
I started baking the rest. Sure enough 2 came out nice (but small) and the other 4 were a sight. I couldn't even put the one loaf in the oven. I took it out of the pan and reworked it to make cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning. Trying to make lemonade out of some lemons for sure. (They were OK. . .didn't rise enough but we ate them.)
This weekly breadmaking adventure began slowly. I remember my mom making bread when I was a little girl. She got out a big white tub to mix up six loaves at a time. It was always an all day affair that started with a mess of flour on the kitchen table. But it smelled so good as it baked. When it came out of the oven we'd smear butter all over the tops and sides and wait, quite impatiently, for Mom to start cutting it so we could eat it right away. To a little girl, homemade bread is best when it comes out of the oven and then not again! (Although I admit, it did make some really good French toast.). When I got older I realized that toasted homemade bread was an amazing late night snack.
So with memories of Mom's bread, I decided I'd try to make my own. I have a bread machine and it makes pretty good bread but not like Mom's. She told me where to find her recipe (Better Homes and Gardens plaid cookbook) so I tried making it in the bread machine. Nope. It was a 2 loaf recipe and too much for the bread machine to handle. A friend makes bread using a food processor so I tried Mom's recipe in that. Nope. Too much for it to handle. It has to be done by hand.
But it's worth it. Put on a little music like we listened to at home on a Saturday when Mom was baking. Plan for a mess of flour on the kitchen table. Heat the milk, sugar, salt, and shortening. Let the yeast proof. And pull out your own white tub to mix it all in. When it's finally done, watch the kids clamor around for fresh bread. After all, they don't like it any other time. So once they work their way through the first loaf, the rest is yours. It's a good hearty bread. Perfect for toast or for grilled cheese sandwiches.
Mom's Homemade Bread (2 loaves, approx 18 slices per loaf and 90 calories per slice)
In a medium saucepan heat
2 cups of milk
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tsp of salt
1 tablespoon of shortening
Stir while it heats. It should not boil. Heat just until the shortening melts. Turn off the burner and set this pan aside for the moment.
Mix 1 packet of yeast (2 1/4 tsp) with 1/4 c of warm water. You may add 1 tsp sugar as well. Let this sit.
Pour milk mixture into the big white tub. Add 2 cups flour and mix until smooth. Then add the yeast water. Again, mix until smooth. Stir in another 3 cups of flour.
This is where it gets tricky. Depending on the humidity you may need as much as another cup of flour. It should knead and NOT stick to your hands but be easy to work with.
Once you have the dough completely mixed and kneaded, let rise, covered, in a warm draft free space for at least 1 hour. The dough should double in size.
Punch dough down then divide in half. Roll each half into a ball and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes shape each ball into a loaf and place in a baking pan. (Mom's are rectangular and at least 30 years old. They are metal pans with a coating in them. I do not have to spray them. If you are using glass pans or an uncoated metal pan you might want to lightly spray with cooking spray). Let dough rise in the pans for at least 45 minutes to an hour.
At this point, preheat your oven to 350 F.
The bread will need to bake for at least 40 minutes. My oven is wonky right now so I usually have mine out of the oven by 40 minutes. In a proper oven it may be closer to an hour. You'll know the bread is done when it is lightly golden brown and sounds hollow if you knock on the bottom of the loaf (out of the pan).
When you remove it from the oven let it cool for about 10 minutes then flip it out of the pan onto a cooling rack. I use fresh stick of butter and just peel back the wrapper so I can smear butter all over the top and sides.
Let the bread cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting (if using an electric knife).
My mom came by while it was rising so I told her she could take a couple of pans home and bake some fresh bread for them. I knew by then that 4 loaves were going to be duds and directed her to the other 4 loaves. She took 2 really pretty loaves home.
I started baking the rest. Sure enough 2 came out nice (but small) and the other 4 were a sight. I couldn't even put the one loaf in the oven. I took it out of the pan and reworked it to make cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning. Trying to make lemonade out of some lemons for sure. (They were OK. . .didn't rise enough but we ate them.)
This weekly breadmaking adventure began slowly. I remember my mom making bread when I was a little girl. She got out a big white tub to mix up six loaves at a time. It was always an all day affair that started with a mess of flour on the kitchen table. But it smelled so good as it baked. When it came out of the oven we'd smear butter all over the tops and sides and wait, quite impatiently, for Mom to start cutting it so we could eat it right away. To a little girl, homemade bread is best when it comes out of the oven and then not again! (Although I admit, it did make some really good French toast.). When I got older I realized that toasted homemade bread was an amazing late night snack.
So with memories of Mom's bread, I decided I'd try to make my own. I have a bread machine and it makes pretty good bread but not like Mom's. She told me where to find her recipe (Better Homes and Gardens plaid cookbook) so I tried making it in the bread machine. Nope. It was a 2 loaf recipe and too much for the bread machine to handle. A friend makes bread using a food processor so I tried Mom's recipe in that. Nope. Too much for it to handle. It has to be done by hand.
But it's worth it. Put on a little music like we listened to at home on a Saturday when Mom was baking. Plan for a mess of flour on the kitchen table. Heat the milk, sugar, salt, and shortening. Let the yeast proof. And pull out your own white tub to mix it all in. When it's finally done, watch the kids clamor around for fresh bread. After all, they don't like it any other time. So once they work their way through the first loaf, the rest is yours. It's a good hearty bread. Perfect for toast or for grilled cheese sandwiches.
Mom's Homemade Bread (2 loaves, approx 18 slices per loaf and 90 calories per slice)
In a medium saucepan heat
2 cups of milk
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tsp of salt
1 tablespoon of shortening
Stir while it heats. It should not boil. Heat just until the shortening melts. Turn off the burner and set this pan aside for the moment.
Mix 1 packet of yeast (2 1/4 tsp) with 1/4 c of warm water. You may add 1 tsp sugar as well. Let this sit.
Pour milk mixture into the big white tub. Add 2 cups flour and mix until smooth. Then add the yeast water. Again, mix until smooth. Stir in another 3 cups of flour.
This is where it gets tricky. Depending on the humidity you may need as much as another cup of flour. It should knead and NOT stick to your hands but be easy to work with.
Once you have the dough completely mixed and kneaded, let rise, covered, in a warm draft free space for at least 1 hour. The dough should double in size.
Punch dough down then divide in half. Roll each half into a ball and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes shape each ball into a loaf and place in a baking pan. (Mom's are rectangular and at least 30 years old. They are metal pans with a coating in them. I do not have to spray them. If you are using glass pans or an uncoated metal pan you might want to lightly spray with cooking spray). Let dough rise in the pans for at least 45 minutes to an hour.
At this point, preheat your oven to 350 F.
The bread will need to bake for at least 40 minutes. My oven is wonky right now so I usually have mine out of the oven by 40 minutes. In a proper oven it may be closer to an hour. You'll know the bread is done when it is lightly golden brown and sounds hollow if you knock on the bottom of the loaf (out of the pan).
When you remove it from the oven let it cool for about 10 minutes then flip it out of the pan onto a cooling rack. I use fresh stick of butter and just peel back the wrapper so I can smear butter all over the top and sides.
Let the bread cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting (if using an electric knife).
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Nothing like a trip to the hardware store to cool your jets.
So I went into the weekend all excited about plans for my basement.
I had a set of plans for some storage shelves. Showed them to the hubby. He was less than thrilled. So I got busy measuring and drawing and figuring things out.
I showed the original plans to my dad. Quietly asked his opinion on the shelves. He gave it a thumbs up. He even very patiently and politely listened to me drivel on and on about how if we build the one wall 16 feet long we could build 2 of these shelves and then wowsers all my storage problems should be solved, right?
(And this is why I'm still a daddy's girl. That man is king of the world!)
Then I spent Saturday morning looking at the Lowe's website to get an idea of what materials will cost me. The plans said $60 and 1 evening. Ok, so I made modifications to the plan so I figured that my costs would be different.
Found some plywood for $14. Hubby snickered at that. I didn't know why. I thought he was talking about the cheap plywood he bought for shelves at the old house.
Went to Lowe's. Priced the 2 x 4's. Right what I expected them to be. Looked at the plywood. Oh dear. Not what I want. To get what I want it's going to cost me at close to $30 per sheet.
This means my shelves will cost 2x what the plans showed. Bummed. I wanted to build 3 of these shelving units. And not that it's impossible. Heavens no. I'm still going to get my storage shelves. Just not this weekend or even next weekend. Might have to wait until spring break to tackle this.
Or then again, maybe I just need to modify my already modified plans? I checked the Menard's website and found a better price on 2 x 4s. And they have a better plywood for the same price as the "inferior" stuff I saw at Lowe's. Maybe I don't need 3 ft deep shelves either.
Yeah, that's the ticket. Modification. Trial and error. Since I'm looking to build more than 1 wall of shelves, why not build a set that is just 2 ft deep (and do-able for under $100) and see how it goes. If it turns out that I want deeper shelves I can always do that for the shelving on the other wall.
Good plan. Now maybe I can even start on these shelves next weekend rather than waiting until spring break. :-)
I had a set of plans for some storage shelves. Showed them to the hubby. He was less than thrilled. So I got busy measuring and drawing and figuring things out.
I showed the original plans to my dad. Quietly asked his opinion on the shelves. He gave it a thumbs up. He even very patiently and politely listened to me drivel on and on about how if we build the one wall 16 feet long we could build 2 of these shelves and then wowsers all my storage problems should be solved, right?
(And this is why I'm still a daddy's girl. That man is king of the world!)
Then I spent Saturday morning looking at the Lowe's website to get an idea of what materials will cost me. The plans said $60 and 1 evening. Ok, so I made modifications to the plan so I figured that my costs would be different.
Found some plywood for $14. Hubby snickered at that. I didn't know why. I thought he was talking about the cheap plywood he bought for shelves at the old house.
Went to Lowe's. Priced the 2 x 4's. Right what I expected them to be. Looked at the plywood. Oh dear. Not what I want. To get what I want it's going to cost me at close to $30 per sheet.
This means my shelves will cost 2x what the plans showed. Bummed. I wanted to build 3 of these shelving units. And not that it's impossible. Heavens no. I'm still going to get my storage shelves. Just not this weekend or even next weekend. Might have to wait until spring break to tackle this.
Or then again, maybe I just need to modify my already modified plans? I checked the Menard's website and found a better price on 2 x 4s. And they have a better plywood for the same price as the "inferior" stuff I saw at Lowe's. Maybe I don't need 3 ft deep shelves either.
Yeah, that's the ticket. Modification. Trial and error. Since I'm looking to build more than 1 wall of shelves, why not build a set that is just 2 ft deep (and do-able for under $100) and see how it goes. If it turns out that I want deeper shelves I can always do that for the shelving on the other wall.
Good plan. Now maybe I can even start on these shelves next weekend rather than waiting until spring break. :-)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Butterscotch Chip Cookies
Last week we celebrated a co-worker's birthday. One of the guys pitched in to pay for lunch even though he wasn't eating it. He's a good guy like that. But it's not fair that he always chips in for meals he isn't taking part in. So we promised there would be something for him too. . .and cookies were the obvious choice. He loves cookies, especially butterscotch cookies.
Making them was a bit humorous since my kitchen is not fully functioning righ tnow. My microwave died a few weeks ago and my oven is cantankerous. But I was determined to get these cookies made! It was my first time making this recipe so I wasn't sure how long I'd actually have to bake them assuming I could get the oven temp under control. They came out great. Three out of five in my family loved them. Only one was opposed to eating them. The fifth member of the family liked them but wouldn't call it love.
The recipe is as follows:
1 cup butter
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Then stir in 1 package of butterscotch chips.
Drop by spoonful onto a baking sheet or baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes (assuming your oven is 375 and holds temperature--which mine isn't doing very well right now).
Cookies should be light brown. Let cool
Yields approx 5 dozen cookies.
Making them was a bit humorous since my kitchen is not fully functioning righ tnow. My microwave died a few weeks ago and my oven is cantankerous. But I was determined to get these cookies made! It was my first time making this recipe so I wasn't sure how long I'd actually have to bake them assuming I could get the oven temp under control. They came out great. Three out of five in my family loved them. Only one was opposed to eating them. The fifth member of the family liked them but wouldn't call it love.
The recipe is as follows:
1 cup butter
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c quick cooking oats
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Then stir in 1 package of butterscotch chips.
Drop by spoonful onto a baking sheet or baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes (assuming your oven is 375 and holds temperature--which mine isn't doing very well right now).
Cookies should be light brown. Let cool
Yields approx 5 dozen cookies.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Continuing my list of wants. .a "Honey do" list
Perhaps if I make the list public I'll get it done?
When we built our house I wanted a basement. I couldn't imagine not having a place to store stuff. And since we were building into a hill, a walkout basement was the obvious choice.
The downside of this? I have 1 reasonably livable room and a vast space that is holding stuff. Just stuff.
Unfortunately the first summer we were in the house we were still trying to sell the old one and get settled into the new one. The second summer I had surgery and couldn't do much for the majority of summer. The third summer? Well I should have taken care of it then but I got wrapped up in projects upstairs.
So this summer I have a set of things that must be done in the basement. They are, in no particular order:
When we built our house I wanted a basement. I couldn't imagine not having a place to store stuff. And since we were building into a hill, a walkout basement was the obvious choice.
The downside of this? I have 1 reasonably livable room and a vast space that is holding stuff. Just stuff.
Unfortunately the first summer we were in the house we were still trying to sell the old one and get settled into the new one. The second summer I had surgery and couldn't do much for the majority of summer. The third summer? Well I should have taken care of it then but I got wrapped up in projects upstairs.
So this summer I have a set of things that must be done in the basement. They are, in no particular order:
- Paint the family room area. We are most likely going with a bright pink and grey palette as we make this our "girl cave" for doing homework, practicing on the keyboard and playing on the Wii. When finances allow it I would like to get the one couch recovered to fit this color scheme.
- Build storage shelves like we had at the old house. I was so spoiled when we lived there. We had an entire wall of floor to rafter shelves. Amazing storage. I must have shelves again so I can get the boxes of things that I just can't let go off put away properly. (In fact, I printed off a set of plans for the hubby to study. According to the plans, they are super easy and will come together in "one evening." Again, I have confidence!)
- Before the shelves can be built I need clear space for them and settle on the "best use of space" plan so we can have the Cave, store room, sewing room/spare bedroom/tornado shelter, office and kitchenette. After walking my poor hubby through the basement last night I think I have a pretty good idea of how to do all this by building just 4 walls and hanging some doors. It seems so simple here. :-)I don't need all these rooms completed this summer. Just getting the storage area and Cave done would be good.
- I have rolls of carpeting that I got for free from a friend who was preparing to open a bakery. It needs to be rolled out, cleaned and placed.
Friday, March 2, 2012
My list of wants. . .
I am blessed and I know it. Three years ago I was lucky enough to be able to build my dreamhouse on a lovely piece of property that included a woods with a little creek on the back edge of our land.
But that doesn't mean that I don't still want for things.
My poor husband keeps getting emails from me asking for things that I like and want him to make. I'm sure he rolls his eyes every time because to me, these look like simple projects.
I've been all over the Ana White. Today he got links for these projects:
A playhouse (this fascination started yesterday and continues today)
This outdoor double lounger that I must have for my deck.
And this hanging outdoor daybed would be amazing on my porch.
Along with this plan for a table since we've had a table top for ever and just needed to figure out how to put the top on legs.
If only I had the skills to make this stuff myself. I think that one of the first things we whould do though is build a combination garden shed/playhouse for the girls. They would love it and we'd be able to take some things out of the garage.
Maybe it's time for me to dust off my woodworking skills I learned in seventh and eigth grade. Surely a girl can't just expect the hubby to do all of these. I know he's excited about getting the new table and matching bench made. I think he's less excited about the outdoor daybed. And the idea of the playhouse is a bit intimidating. But I am confident we can tackle these and succeed!
Surely we can.
Right?
But that doesn't mean that I don't still want for things.
My poor husband keeps getting emails from me asking for things that I like and want him to make. I'm sure he rolls his eyes every time because to me, these look like simple projects.
I've been all over the Ana White. Today he got links for these projects:
A playhouse (this fascination started yesterday and continues today)
This outdoor double lounger that I must have for my deck.
And this hanging outdoor daybed would be amazing on my porch.
Along with this plan for a table since we've had a table top for ever and just needed to figure out how to put the top on legs.
If only I had the skills to make this stuff myself. I think that one of the first things we whould do though is build a combination garden shed/playhouse for the girls. They would love it and we'd be able to take some things out of the garage.
Maybe it's time for me to dust off my woodworking skills I learned in seventh and eigth grade. Surely a girl can't just expect the hubby to do all of these. I know he's excited about getting the new table and matching bench made. I think he's less excited about the outdoor daybed. And the idea of the playhouse is a bit intimidating. But I am confident we can tackle these and succeed!
Surely we can.
Right?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Too many rings?
I have a favorite ring these days. It seems that my grandmother's birthstone is an every day item anymore. I love this ring. But as I drove into work yesterday I was fiddling with it and thought for a moment that as much as I love it, I've been neglecting my other rings.
The engagement ring/wedding band combo are always part of the work get-up. But my other rings float. Lately I've worn my family ring with my daughters' birthstones in it. Often it's on my left hand middle finger; I never had it sized down to fit any other finger. And my grandmother's ring is on my right hand middle finger. I can't quite make myself take it in to get it sized down because of my sentimental hang-up about keeping it the same size as my Nana wore.
This means that I have my husband's grandmother's engagement ring (tiny diamond in a pretty yellow and white gold setting) just hanging out in a jewelry box. I also have three birthstone rings. The first was given to me by my husband for my birthday the first year we dated; it is a marquise cut and sticks up a ways. I stopped wearing it when babies came along because I was always scratching them with it. The second was given to me for Mother's Day some 6 or 7 years ago. It's a heart shaped setting with my birthstone and a diamond. My daughter helped Daddy pick it out for me one day after school. The third is my favorite cut--it is a special lighthouse cut and it is a bigger stone; it has a much more modern look to it and when it's all cleaned up, it's an attention grabber.
And then there are the other rings I brought into this marriage with me. . .my high school class ring and a blue pearl ring. Hmmm, I think I have another pearl ring tucked away in a jewelry box too from when I was in elementary school. Unfortunately, I lost my college ring; it slipped off my very slender/not at all swollen finger one day at work when I was about 34 weeks pregnant with my third child. I think it slipped off when I dried my hands. (Sad face!)
I can't see giving up wearing my grandmother's ring. I can't say that we were very close. But somehow this ring ties me back to another time in life.
Still, I feel that my other rings are getting cheated. How can I forgo my birthstone rings? I do wonder if I could get away with my engagement/wedding rings and grandmother's ring on my left hand and my third birthstone and family ring on my right hand? I wouldn't want to look like some stereotypical Gypsy woman. . .or like one of those little ladies in a nursing home who wears all of her jewelry because it's the only way she knows it will be safe.
How many rings are too many at one time?
The engagement ring/wedding band combo are always part of the work get-up. But my other rings float. Lately I've worn my family ring with my daughters' birthstones in it. Often it's on my left hand middle finger; I never had it sized down to fit any other finger. And my grandmother's ring is on my right hand middle finger. I can't quite make myself take it in to get it sized down because of my sentimental hang-up about keeping it the same size as my Nana wore.
This means that I have my husband's grandmother's engagement ring (tiny diamond in a pretty yellow and white gold setting) just hanging out in a jewelry box. I also have three birthstone rings. The first was given to me by my husband for my birthday the first year we dated; it is a marquise cut and sticks up a ways. I stopped wearing it when babies came along because I was always scratching them with it. The second was given to me for Mother's Day some 6 or 7 years ago. It's a heart shaped setting with my birthstone and a diamond. My daughter helped Daddy pick it out for me one day after school. The third is my favorite cut--it is a special lighthouse cut and it is a bigger stone; it has a much more modern look to it and when it's all cleaned up, it's an attention grabber.
And then there are the other rings I brought into this marriage with me. . .my high school class ring and a blue pearl ring. Hmmm, I think I have another pearl ring tucked away in a jewelry box too from when I was in elementary school. Unfortunately, I lost my college ring; it slipped off my very slender/not at all swollen finger one day at work when I was about 34 weeks pregnant with my third child. I think it slipped off when I dried my hands. (Sad face!)
I can't see giving up wearing my grandmother's ring. I can't say that we were very close. But somehow this ring ties me back to another time in life.
Still, I feel that my other rings are getting cheated. How can I forgo my birthstone rings? I do wonder if I could get away with my engagement/wedding rings and grandmother's ring on my left hand and my third birthstone and family ring on my right hand? I wouldn't want to look like some stereotypical Gypsy woman. . .or like one of those little ladies in a nursing home who wears all of her jewelry because it's the only way she knows it will be safe.
How many rings are too many at one time?
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